Golden State Warriors: 3 Trades They Should Consider Making

The Golden State Warriors had an almost flawless season. The only noticeable holes were their inability to finish close basketball games after having a lead (which showed in the playoffs) and turnovers. These two were oftentimes linked together pretty well. Jarrett Jack, the Warriors’ sixth man, had a huge problem with turnovers, but closed out the games for the Warriors. Talk about a dilemma.

Re-signing him, of course, would have to be a primary goal this offseason for the Warriors. There are some other areas that they need to address, however, as they’re going to possibly contending in the next couple of years. How should the Warriors change their roster for the better?

Is that even a possibility? Here are three trades they should consider making:

Mar 28, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Festus Ezeli and Future Draft Pick for Ian Mahinmi:

I know what your thinking, “Who the heck is Ian Mahinmi?”

Well right now, he’s currently a member of the Indiana Pacers, signed to a four-year, $16 million dollar contract. That’s quite a lot of money for someone that you’ve never heard of, true.

What could he bring to the Warriors? Many do see the potential in Festus Ezeli, but the Warriors already have a defensive-minded player in Andrew Bogut.

Mahinmi isn’t very explosive offensively, but coming off a pick and roll, he can easily catch the basketball. His toughness could be of value to the Warriors.

Klay Thompson for Eric Gordon:

Eric Gordon hasn’t had a very successful career thanks to the injury bug. Klay Thompson, on the other hand, is on the verge of either becoming a star, or being one of those players who can never reach full potential.

As a great shooter, Thompson is outshined by Stephen Curry, his partner in the backcourt. They’ve never had their differences, but when Curry was injured, Thompson was able to score 30-plus points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Maybe a trade would be best for his career.

As for Gordon, he knows that he cannot be the star. His a player that can drive to the basket and high rise. That’s what the shooting guard is supposed to do. This wouldn’t be a likely trade on the Warriors’ part because it may be detrimental to their rotation, but the best possible scenario where Gordon is able to blossom is very alluring.

Klay Thompson, Andrew Bogut and Andris Biedrins for Dwight Howard via sign and trade:

Apr 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

I know, it would be considered an “act of desperation” if the Warriors were to make a move for Dwight Howard, but think about this for a second.

Rising star Harrison Barnes would still be on the roster, the Warriors would have most of the core, but they would have a younger, more promising center with very high potential. They may be losing a “Splash Brother” in Thompson, but they’ll still be able to throw lobs, giving the Warriors the new nickname of Lob City 2.0.

Howard is a great center, but this would be an awfully risky move. Again, however, the best-case scenario is a possible championship run.